#food

I've wanted to take a cooking class at Atelier Sucré for ages, having walked past it a bunch of times (it's all of two blocks away) and with Sammy being here for a week, I thought it was finally a good time. They say the minimum age is 14, but I sent them a message on Instagram and they said 12 was fine.

It was a small group, just a mom and her college-age daughter and us. The teacher was great. We started by making brioche dough from scratch. While that was rising, we took chunks of premade brioche and put them in ramakins and made a sauce to pour over them. Sort of a bread pudding French toast. Then while that was in the oven, we made another batch of the sauce, took slices of premade brioche, soaked them, and cooked them in a pan.

Great two hours, and all the food we left with was almost worth the cost on its own.

Had a birthday dinner with a thirteen-year-old at the River Cafe last night.

Weekend fragments: duck bacon, billiards, pastry.

A stressful fourteen-hour workday, but grateful for a challenging job. And for the ability to run across the street for a great lunch at Le Fournil.

Glad to have finally visited the Russian & Turkish Baths tonight. I've walked past a million times over many years, and never without thinking what a glorious old relic it seems to be and how I ought to visit.

Funny enough, when I walked up the steps tonight, a cheery old Russian sitting on the stoop greeted me playfully: "You're finally here!"

Walking in, the proprietor was incredibly friendly and welcoming as I said it was my first visit. He took my wallet and watch and put them in a lockbox to which he gave me the key. Along with the key, on a broad rubber bracelet, was a larger key to a locker in the changing room, and a medallion with the number 13: the number of both lockbox and locker, and to which I would charge any services.

On the ground floor is a small restaurant. I got a salmon and mashed potatoes that were quite good, along with a pot of oolong green tea and a Perrier. After, I went back to the counter to order a slice of cake. Also quite good, and all of it very reasonable. Less than $50, including a tip.

Then, changed into my swimsuit and tried the steam sauna, then the dry sauna, both of which were more comfortable than I'd worried they would be; and I stayed happily in each for quite awhile. Then I hopped into the cold plunge pool which lived up to its name and I only managed for about ten seconds. Then a visit to the hottest sauna, "The Russian Room". There is a small well in the center with a bucket floating over the surface of the cold water. Along the benches as well are a number of faucets streaming cold water into other buckets.

People will grab a bucket and dump the water over their head.

Wrapped up the evening on the upstairs veranda where a pair of old Russians had a spread of fruit and crackers on a picnic table. They offered me a slice of pineapple. I turned it down, politely, and nursed another Perrier from the restaurant.

All in all, the place exceeded my expectations. I think I'll make it a weekly ritual.

There's been a restaurant under renovation for months on the ground floor of my building. Thrilled they had a soft-opening today. The boys and I went down and had some delicious pizzas.

Café Maud.

Sammy has always wanted to try the Mentos and Coca Cola thing. Sort of underwhelming, but he didn't seem disappointed.

Got to introduce the boys to Hot Pot at a Northwestern Chinese place just a couple of doors down.

I've seen this place and made note of it as a cool-looking spot for years. Now it's directly across the street from me, so picked up a coffee there this morning. Did not disappoint!

Sweet and savory Saturday. Ralph's ice cream and homemade deviled egg burgers.